Chapter 12 #2
The first smells of lavender, like the bath had. The second, peppermint. My favourite is the last one, smelling of orange and a sharp fall spice like the one in the air of my suite. He takes that one and dumps half the bottle into the refilling tub.
As it reaches close to the rim, Izoran turns off the water and strips down to nothing before stepping into the bath. He reaches his arms out, and I’m passed over to him like a treasured doll.
All the rest of them crowd into the tub too as I lean back against Izoran’s chest. It’s a large tub, but with five people in it all four guys have to be thigh to thigh and shoulder to shoulder, and there’s no place for me to be other than on their laps.
My eyelids droop, even as they all rub cloths over my skin to clean me. I yawn, the heated water making me languid and threatening to send me straight to sleep.
“Are there any other parts of you that need healing, my queen?” Brellan asks.
My muscle soreness has already been partially soothed by the earlier healing, and the rest will only be fixed with rest. It’s impossible for me to tell if I have any scratches or wounds.
“Can you check my feet?” I ask. “I did run through the cornfield barefoot.”
I doubt much damage was done by that, but I don’t think they’ll be happy if they find out later about a scrape or puncture we all missed.
Lorcan, as the one sitting across from me, lifts one foot from beneath the water, inspecting it carefully. He pokes and prods—maybe removing a splinter—and then runs his tongue along my sole. The other foot is next, getting the same treatment that I barely feel beyond the tickle of his touch.
“Nothing more?” Brellan confirms.
“I feel fine. Just… tired.”
“Then let’s finish washing you and get you into bed.”
Damek grabs a bucket from the side of the tub, filling it with water and carefully dumping it over my hair. Iz makes sure it doesn’t get in my eyes. They work some shampoo into a lather, then rinse it out the same way, dumping buckets of water until all the soap is washed out.
I’m surprised they manage to work out the tangles without any painful tugging after a night like that. Most of them had grabbed a fistful of my ginger locks at least once.
Finally, Brellan leans over with a clean cloth and instructs me to close my eyes.
He smooths the rough fabric across my cheeks and forehead, wiping off the sweat, cum, and spit that’s dried onto my oily skin.
When he’s satisfied, he lets me open my eyes and puts a thick cream onto my face without telling me anything about what it is.
It doesn’t matter. Not today.
I’ll let them clean me up whatever way they see fit today, because I’m too exhausted to do it myself. I can barely move.
Damek pushes to his feet first, water sliding down his form and clinging to his mouthwatering abs and half-hard cock. I watch his ass as he steps from the tub and grabs a towel, rubbing himself dry. I’m not aroused—I won’t be capable of that until I’ve gotten some sleep—but very appreciative.
At least the demon who coerced me into being his queen is hot.
The rest of them are too, standing up one by one until it’s only me and Iz left in the tub.
They don’t bother to put on clothes, facing me in all their nude glory while Izoran helps me to stand.
Damek takes over, getting me out of the tub.
Brellan and Lorcan start drying me off, one from the top down and the other from the bottom up.
All I have to do is stand there while they work, Damek holding my hands to keep me grounded and upright.
Izoran drains the tub and dries himself, finishing as the others complete their task of painstakingly drying every part of me.
“My queen, do you need anything else before we head to sleep?” Brellan asks.
“Water.”
He nods and heads off. Damek picks me up and carries me back into the bedroom, placing me in the centre of the giant bed among a pile of pillows. The sheets are silky smooth, caressing my skin like a gentle hug. I sigh as I curl up.
There’s only a single sheet instead of a thick blanket, but with the heat lingering in the air it doesn’t matter. I’ll be plenty warm, especially as the men pile into bed around me.
Brellan returns with a water jug and a glass, pouring me some. Lorcan holds the glass to my lips, tipping it so I can drink without any effort whatsoever.
This is exactly the kind of pampering they promised me when they offered to make me queen, but I didn’t believe them then. I spent most of the night not believing them—how could men who hunted me down like prey turn around and treat me like I’m the most important thing in the world?
But that’s exactly what they’ve done.
As they curl around me, all warm bodies and gentle touches, I smile to myself.
I might not know yet what it means to be queen, but they’ve shown me what it means to be theirs. It’s a promise of ravishing, rough sex, and challenges to my body and mind—but also a promise to put me back together when they’re done with me.
To worship me like I’m worthy of all that and more and not like I’m just some enslaved human from a broken family who was desperate enough to make a deal with a demon.
I’ve left that version of me behind.
All it took was one Halloween night… with four demons hunting me down to give me my crown.